• 🌵 Pernod-Ricard Backs NA Tequila Brand
• ⚰️ Marketing: Coffin Coolers, LaCroix’s Two New Partnerships
• 🌞 Is Capri-Sun Ditching Pouches? Let’s Not Jump to Conclusion.
• 💁 RNDC Launches Digital Accelerator

Over the past three years, there’s been an explosion of new agua fresca brands, coming from all corners of the beverage industry, from entrepreneurial startups like Bawi and TUYYO, to strategics like Coke and BlueTriton, and quick-serves like Taco Bell. And that’s only the non-alcoholic side. 

They aren’t stuck in ethnic markets or natural/specialty, either, as they’re starting to win more shelf space in conventional retail, as well. While it’s still early days for the RTD category, startup founders like Agua Bonita’s Kayla Castañeda have felt the lift – that brand went from just 200 doors 18 months ago to over 2,000 today.

While the influx of strategics into the category raises concerns around authenticity and equity for Hispanic and Latino founders who are launching agua fresca brands from a place of cultural heritage, there’s little doubt that the big brands’ interest in the space is aiding in education efforts and pushing retail buyers to more readily consider the category. And that’s attracting a wider base of consumers than in years past, founders say.

“I think now there's definitely a bigger demographic that is searching for agua frescas,” Castañeda told BevNET.

The aguas frescas innovation wave is also being felt heavily in alcohol, with Modelo, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Calidad, Coron, Topo Chico and independent brand Picadas all introducing spiked versions of the beverage. Mark Gallo, senior manager of commercial services at co-packer Manna Beverages & Ventures, said the parallel growth is a great sign for the category’s potential with mainstream consumers.

“I think the category is just ready for prime time. If stuff is in alc and in non-alc, it's ready to reach the masses,” Gallo said. “If it's focused on one – non-alc or alc – it's probably in its infancy.”

Where the category goes from here is TBD, but entrepreneurial brands are finding that their biggest challenges are less around teaching Americans what their product is, and more around that old hurdle of financing and strategy – while elevating culturally authentic brands – as the giants pave a path for agua fresca in retail.

For more on the rising agua fresca space, read our full story on BevNET.

From zero-sugar juices to caffeine-free energy drinks, the latest edition of BevNET’s weekly New Products Gallery features innovations spanning all sides of the beverage industry. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s inside:

🍹 Devil’s Foot debuted the ninth addition to its Zero Proof series: The Zero Proof Paloma. As its name suggests, the new offering is a non-alcoholic take on the classic cocktail, featuring fresh lime and grapefruit complemented by a hint of lemongrass to replicate tequila’s subtle notes. 

🍇 To meet the demands of health-conscious consumers, Welch’s released a line of Zero Sugar products. The product range includes two refrigerated flavors (Passion Fruit and Grape) and three shelf-stable varieties (Tropical Punch, Strawberry and Concord Grape). 

🍑 Health-Ade expanded its SunSip prebiotic soda line with a new fruity flavor: Peach. Each 11.05 oz. can is naturally sweetened with peach puree, monk fruit and organic cane sugar. 

Non-alc agave brand Almave just got a boost from a major spirits player. Pernod Ricard announced it is bolstering its non-alc portfolio by purchasing a minority stake in the non-alc agave spirit from Mexican spirits company Casa Lumbre and Formula One champion and entrepreneur Lewis Hamilton. 

🥂 The move aligns with the French spirit group’s push into non-alc via brands like Ceder’s, and through its venture arm, Convivialité Ventures, which has invested in drink makers Ghia and AF Drinks as well as NA retailer Boisson. 

🤝 Pernod-Ricard has a good thing going already with Casa Lumbre: it partnered with Abasolo Ancestral Corn Whisky, Ojo de Tigre Mezcal and Lenny Kravitz-backed sotol Nocheluna. Casa Lumbre has a history of being strategic about focusing on the opportunity for premium Mexican cocktail additions and partnering with major players like Campari, as well as Spirit of Gallo. 

📈 The partnership will give Almave greater global reach and brand-building experience to scale, according to a release.

It should not be surprising that Liquid Death’s latest marketing stunt is a full-sized coffin cooler in partnership with YETI. The “Triple Foam ColdCell” technology casket can hold 378 Liquid Death  12 oz. cans (without ice). The one-of-a-kind cooler (or final place of resting depending on use) is available via a bidding process ending TODAY! As of now, the highest bid of the 660 bids is $55,100.

🥤 LaCroix is not letting summer slip away without announcing two new partnerships. The first is with Super Smart Fridge maker Rocco. During the month of September, each Rocco will come with 96 cans of LaCroix including its new flavor, Strawberry Peach; along with classics like Pamplemousse, Pure and Tangerine.

⚽ In Kansas City, LaCroix has lined up a multi-year deal with professional women’s soccer team the Current. LaCroix will be the exclusive sparkling water at the KC Current’s CPKC Stadium. KC Current is owned by former NFL player Chris Long and current KC Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

True 90s kids are in a panic this week after snack food blog Snackolator previewed on its Instagram account yesterday a new line of Capri-Sun juice drinks packaged not in the brand’s iconic pouch format, but in 12 oz. bottles. It wouldn’t be Capri-Sun’s first experiment outside of pouches. The brand now offers 96 oz. multiserve bottles in the club channel. In the U.K. it already has a single-serve bottled line.

🤔 According to the Instagram post, the bottles are reportedly being targeted to adults, rather than children, and will launch at this fall’s NACS show with Fruit Punch, Strawberry Kiwi and Pacific Cooler flavors.

😂 So far there’s no official word from Capri-Sun or its parent company Kraft Heinz confirming the line is coming, but that hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from churning as Newsweek and the New York Post have suggested that the bottles are potentially replacing the brand’s pouches. A writer for Eater took personal exception to the idea that today’s kids won’t ever have to fight to poke a straw into one of those things.

One of the country’s largest distributors, Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC), announced yesterday the launch of Republic Digital (REDI), a digital accelerator designed to connect brands with online customers. 

🤓 The program is aimed at creating a playbook in an area where many spirits brands are struggling to find their footing, said Emily Xu, senior vice president of e-commerce and marketing. It will help bev-alc companies understand the best bidding strategy for their advertising budgets on marketplace platforms, in addition to building out their own DTC (but three-tier compliant) websites via Shopify. 

🍷 For spirit brands an advertising strategy likely means spending more on customer loyalty, while wine brands might make a play for more category agnostic targeting. 

In this Friday’s episode of Taste Radio, a recent LinkedIn post penned by an executive of online distribution platform Pod Foods ignites a passionate discussion between Jacqui Brugliera (filling in while Ray’s OOO), Melissa Traverse and John Craven about the limited routes to market for emerging brands and whether things might be changing for the better… or worse.